Leelanau Business Roundtable Quarterly Meeting - January, 2023
PRESENTER:
Lisa Schut, Networks Northwest and Northwest MI Works!
Lisa presented “Serving Business” PPT (attached).
• Networks Northwest delivers programs and services throughout the 10-county region in northwest Michigan. Their primary service categories are workforce development, business & economic development, and community development.
• NNW provides a regional framework for collaboration among various service-oriented networks. One way is to provide services to talent (prospective employees), businesses, and community development.
o Talent Connection Services include:
Unemployment Insurance Agency partnership
Pure Michigan Talent Connect – Jobs Board (mitalent.org) – This jobs board is federally recognized and will promote jobs through other job boards like Monster, Indeed, etc.
Direct Referrals
Training to develop a qualified workforce including hard and soft skills
o Northwest Michigan Hot Jobs Report
Provides wage ranges, and typical education requirements by positions, and industry
o Career Investigator – NNW and NW MI Works! Has partnered with Newton’s Road to provide a Career Investigator for Northwest Michigan at nwmicareers.org.
Adults & Students can learn about pathways to in-demand careers
Connect with local businesses offering work experiences, jobs, and careers
Employers can work with NNW to create a video to promote their business and the various careers/jobs they have available.
What defines a “career”? Any job. Can be entry-level, seasonal or year-round, skilled or non-skilled positions.
The goal of the career investigator is to connect talent with jobs that are in demand.
o Training can also be provided for talent to include resume building, interviewing, and soft skills training.
o Other General Services include:
Labor market information
Hiring events
Hiring incentives
Bonding
Going Pro Talent Fund
Apprenticeships
General business development – like employee sharing!
o Contact information provided in the PPT.
o NNW and NW MI Works! Can also refer professionals for guidance in navigating guest works with short term visas.
o Would you be interested in the Chamber organizing a session on any of the programs above? Please contact us at info@leelanauchamber.com
Dylan Malama, Northwest MI Works!, Business Services Representative
Going Pro Talent Fund – makes awards to employers to assist in training, developing and retaining current and newly hired employees. Training funded by the Talent Fund must be short-term and fill demonstrated talent need experienced by the employer. For more information, contact Dylan at 231.922.3755 or Dylan.malama@networksnorthwest.org.
Roundtable Discussion
1. Patricia Soutas-Little, Leelanau Peninsula Economic Foundation Chair
a. Early Childhood Care initiative is still recruiting providers. There are currently 2 that expected to open in February. Three providers, outside of the home that are associated with a county school are being planned too.
2. Zach Hillyer, Leelanau County Housing Ready Director
a. 4 Bills have passed in the State of Michigan to expand housing opportunities. For more information click here.
3. Cris Porter, Suttons Bay Schools & SB Chamber
a. SB School is hiring faculty and has been unsuccessful filling positions. The biggest hurdle is finding candidates housing. There are also childcare issues for candidates that need childcare.
b. SB Chamber – Yeti Fest is scheduled for Saturday, Feb 18th in the Village of Suttons Bay. Activities for the whole family include Yeti Discovery at the library, FREE Movie at Bay Theatre, Chili Cook-off, Scavenger hunts, live music, hockey tournament and more! For tickets visit https://mynorthtickets.com/events/yeti-fest-2-18-2023
4. Brayton Farr, Leelanau Peninsula Chamber of Commerce
a. LPCC hosted a Business After Hours in December at Farm Club which was very well attended. Another is being planned for February. Stay tuned for location and more information.
b. Annual planning meeting for the Chamber is taking place in January. The Chamber is hoping to allocate funds to update its website this year.
c. Mortgage world – Consumer price index has some good news with rates lowering.
5. John Elchert, Leelanau Enterprise
a. Continued concern for businesses for sale or closing in the region. Continued work is needed to address housing, childcare and other issues to keep businesses in our small communities.
6. Bill Whitler, Sleeping Bear Gateways Council
a. Housing Exchange Program has been announced for the year. Help spread the word for anyone who has an extra room, ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit), home or cottage that would be appropriate for seasonal workers, visit SBGC website.
b. Workforce Campers – SBGC continues to explore RV parks in the area to see if they would dedicate spaces for workforce campers beyond what they may already have for their own purposes.
i. There is an RV park in Benzonia that is doubling the number of pads they have over the next several years – with plans to designate some for workforce campers
c. Greenfield development sites are being identified for possible workforce housing. There is a 40-acre parcel in Empire near SBDNL – work is being done now to see if federal land can be used for private purposes like housing.
d. Redevelopment exploration – Platte River Elementary was acquired by the Road Commission for $1. Is it feasible for redevelopment of housing? That is being explored.
7. Jim Bardenhagen, LPEF Board; Agriculture
a. Weather is of concern – the long-term warm up will have effects on crops this year
b. MI State Housing Development Authority – Jim attended a webinar. A focus group with developers identified zoning issues and the local attitude by the community for workforce housing is an issue!
8. Melissa Crimmins, Business Owner, Manitou Life
a. There may be opportunities to expand the housing exchange. There may be “summer rentals” that an owner would prefer to have a school year “short term” rental in their house to aid with oversite of the property while teachers search for long-term housing. Crimmins to connect with Whitler to see if the housing exchange can include these opportunities.
The next quarterly meeting will be held on Thursday, April 13, 2023 at 9am via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83652716214?pwd=N2x6NDlHTW1LZmpSYmw5N1I2OXpFQT09
Meeting ID: 836 5271 6214
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